9 Traditions That Make Christmastime In Germany Awesome

Here's our list of lesser-known German Christmas traditions. Several of them involve fire or candles, which as everyone knows, make cold winter nights so much cozier. Tip from the German Embassy and every fire department in the world: never leave burning candles unattended.

1. Lighting up some flaming tongs punch, turning down the lights and enjoying the blue flame of the burning sugar cone

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It's called Feuerzangenbowle and involves high-proof rum and nerves of steel.

2. Watching the black-and-white movie named after the flaming tongs punch, "Die Feuerzangenbowle" (The Punch Bowl)

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On or around December 6, Saint Nicholas Day, students at universities across Germany turn lecture halls into movie theaters and watch the classic movie named after the flaming tongs punch.

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Partygoers bring along sparklers and cocktails and sing and whistle along to the nostalgic movie. The whole thing is a cross between "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "It's a Wonderful Life."

3. Polishing your boots and shoes on the night before December 6 and placing them by the door

livingathome.de

Saint Nicholas brings his load of presents in the night before December 6, which is Saint Nicholas Day (Nikolaustag). And he comes through the front door, not down the chimney, placing small gifts in the cleaned and primed footwear by the door.

4. Spending a cozy night at the local Christmas market

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Friends will meet up at the open-air Christmas markets and stroll throught the rows of booths selling handicrafts and, of course, snacks. Drinking cups of warm Glühwein helps you to stay warm. Extra points if you score a commemorative mug.

5. Filling your house with handmade crafts from the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge)

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like this pipe-smoking woodsman, aka Räuchermännchen, ...

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... or a wooden Christmas pyramid whose spinning action is powered by candles.

6. Decorating your Christmas tree with real candles

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or, if you've got this little guy around, how about just using electric candles that look real.

7. Breaking out a traditional recipe for blue carp on Christmas Eve

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Yum. It's marinated in vinegar to give it the unique blue color. The point, however, is to have a quick, easy-to-prepare meal on Christmas Eve, so that everyone can get to the main event, the presents!

8. Waiting until Christmas Eve to decorate your tree, and then keeping kids out of the room until it's finished

possibly to avoid scenes like this. Really it's a way to preserve the magic and wonder of Christmas for the little ones. Their parents open the door to the living room for them and they see the fully decorated tree and presents underneath.

Who brought the presents, you say? In Germany, it's not Santa.

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The "Christkind" brings the presents. The name means Christ child, and the angel is portrayed by a girl or young woman with blond hair and golden robes. (Okay, okay, some families do welcome a Santa-like figure called the Weihnachtsmann (Christmas Man) who brings presents.) And kids don't have to wait until the next morning to open them! Everyone gathers around the tree after dinner on Christmas Eve for the sharing of presents.

9. Finding creative ways to spend your THREE (!) full days off, from the 24th through the 26th

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Seriously, everything is closed on those days, pretty much forcing, er, making possible lots of family togetherness and visiting with friends. Not surprisingly, watching classic movies, like Casablanca, has become tradition over this long holiday.

Written By Tanya Jones